Dr. Swahn is an alcohol/violence epidemiologist in the Institute of Public Health and the Partnership for Urban Health Research at Georgia State University. She has extensive experience conducting a range of studies and analyzing complex databases to better understand issues related to underage alcohol use and alcohol-related violence and self-harm. She has led several studies examining the risk factors for early alcohol use initiation as well as the correlates and predictors of alcohol use and of early alcohol use as a risk factor for violence and other adverse outcomes among adolescents and young adults. She serves as a consultant and content expert for projects conducted by academic institutions, community organizations, and health departments/organizations in the U.S. and internationally. She also serves as the Associate Director for Research for the Emory Center for Injury Control. More recently Dr. Swahn has expanded her research focus to examine international patterns related to the role of alcohol use in other health-risk behaviors and also of the role that alcohol marketing has among youth in Sub-Saharan Africa. She serves as an advisor to the World Health Organization’s Regional Office in Africa on their Monitoring Alcohol Marketing in Africa Project among students in 7 African countries. Moreover, Dr. Swahn also conducted a study in Kampala, Uganda in 2011 to determine the prevalence of risk behaviors, alcohol marketing, alcohol use as well as HIV status among youth who live in the slums. Her research has been funded by the CDC and private foundations. Dr. Swahn received her Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Swahn teaches in the areas of epidemiology, adolescent health risk behaviors, social determinants of health, and violence prevention.

About Monica H. Swahn

Dr. Swahn is an alcohol/violence epidemiologist in the Institute of Public Health and the Partnership for Urban Health Research at Georgia State University. She has extensive experience conducting a range of studies and analyzing complex databases to better understand issues related to underage alcohol use and alcohol-related violence and self-harm. She has led several studies examining the risk factors for early alcohol use initiation as well as the correlates and predictors of alcohol use and of early alcohol use as a risk factor for violence and other adverse outcomes among adolescents and young adults. She serves as a consultant and content expert for projects conducted by academic institutions, community organizations, and health departments/organizations in the U.S. and internationally. She also serves as the Associate Director for Research for the Emory Center for Injury Control. More recently Dr. Swahn has expanded her research focus to examine international patterns related to the role of alcohol use in other health-risk behaviors and also of the role that alcohol marketing has among youth in Sub-Saharan Africa. She serves as an advisor to the World Health Organization’s Regional Office in Africa on their Monitoring Alcohol Marketing in Africa Project among students in 7 African countries. Moreover, Dr. Swahn also conducted a study in Kampala, Uganda in 2011 to determine the prevalence of risk behaviors, alcohol marketing, alcohol use as well as HIV status among youth who live in the slums. Her research has been funded by the CDC and private foundations. Dr. Swahn received her Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Swahn teaches in the areas of epidemiology, adolescent health risk behaviors, social determinants of health, and violence prevention.